Improvement in ootton-elevatoe



glatten tatrs atwt @fitta WILLIAM POTTER AND EBENEZER CRANE, OF LOWELL, MA SSAOHUSETTS.

Letterslatent No. 68,386, dated September 3, 1867. I

IMPROVEMENT IN COTTON-ELEVATOR.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM POTTER and EBENnznu CRANE, both of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Elevators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference boing had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section. Figure 2 a side, and Figure 3 an end elevation. Figures 4 and 5 show two several modifications of the same. Figure 6, a series of vert-ical slats which we sometimes employ in place ot' one of the vertical aprons'. Figure 7, a side view of one of th'e vertical slats. I Figure 8, an end view of a corrugated or a uted`snrt`ace which may be used instead of open slatted work Thisinvention consists in the employment of one or more` endless aprons passing around rollers a and a', above or in close proximity with the delivery-apron A, and over rollers b, b1, b2, and b3, in an upper apartment, and so arranged and operated that all tho cotton or other fibrous material or substance that may be deposited on the apron A by the action of any cotton-opener or picker will be carried upward between the two aprons,.

and delivered or deposited in said upper apartment for further operation.

Inthe operation of opening and cleaning cotton, wool, and other brous substances or materials, the cottonopeningv machinery is generally located on .the lower door ofthe picker-house, while the machines which perform the second operation on the cotton are on the floor or doors above. To convey the opened cotton from the opening machine to the second or other upper stories of the building, atrunk or box is connected with the outlet of the cotton-opener, and extends through one or more floors tothe upper room or rooms; and a blow fan, connected with the cotton-opener, and revolving at high velocity, blows the opened cotton upward to the place desired. These swift-moving fans not only require an immense amount of power to drive them, but they are liable to become so heated by friction (caused by their rapid rotation, and-increased by thefgreat quantity of dust and ne grit from the cotton) as to render them very dangerous, being liable to set the cotton on tire, and destroy much valuable property.

' To economize in the expense of elevating the opened cotton, or the power required for such operation, and to-preven't the liability of fire, as above stated, we employ two endless 'aprons B and C, the former passing over the roller 6 near the upper door D of the building,l and under the roller a alittle above the lower floor E, and

the latter under the roller a', and upward, one part over the roller b1, and the other part over the roller 123,'

thence outward and around the roller b2, each apron being joined at any convenient point to make it a con tinuous or endless apron.

The cotton from the opening or picking machine is deposited on the top of the lower apron A, which carries it forward to the apron B, under the roller a, and upward between the two aprons B and C, as indicated by arrows; thence backward, on the horizontal portion of the apron C, to and over the roller ZF, where'it falls on to the door F, or into a suitable cotton-bin, all as clearly shown in iig. 1. When a small quantity of cotton is used, and a thin sheet of`cotton is deposited on the apron A to be carried up betwecnthe two vertical aprons, we sometimes employ one, two, or more binder-rolls e, shown in Eg. 1, to hold the two central portions oi' the aprons B and C near together, so that a thin sheet of cotton may be elevated with certainty. In some cases, and on long-libre or staple material, we dispense with the apron B, and substitute therefor a smooth, flush sur face, d, shown in g. 4; and we sometimes use a series of vertical bars, shown in gs. 6 and 7, or a corrugated or luted surface, as shown in iig. 8; and we sometimes employ a series of rollers, g, shown intig. 5; but in all cases we use o'ne apron, C, to carry the substance or cotton outward over the roller b2; and each of the aprons `is provided with transverse slats e, at suitable distances apart, to keep the aprons in good working position. Whenvthe apron C is used in connection with any ribbed or smooth surface, we sometimes use Vshaped apronslats; and we sometimes employ metal points o, projecting from said slats, to carry wet wool or cotton upward from a'washing or a coloringroom to a drying-room above. Said points pass upward between two of the vertical tslats. One, two, or more binder-rolls c may be hung on 'pivoted two-arm levers L, with weights k suspended from their ends to press the apron forward towards the smooth surface or the points between the vertical bars, and thereby render the ascent of the cotton certain. Movable stud-plates f, which form the roller bearing, provide for taking up, tightening, or adjusting the aprons. Motion is applied to these continuous aprons from the cotton-opener, and by belts or gears and the two aprons are geared together, as shown, by equal gears 9 and 10, on the ends of the rollers a and a', and by the same size equal gears 12 13, one on the opposite end of the roller a', and one on the end of the roller m of the apron A, so that all the aprons are moved at the same time, and all alike.

Cotton, wool, or other fibrous substance may be elevated with our improved machinery to any reasonable height, and deposited in any part of the room into which it is carried, or from a washing or coloring-room to a drying-room above. i.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-fl 1. We claim the employment of the endless aprons, in the manner and for the purpose substantially as set forth.

2. W'e claim the employment of pointsI o, projecting from the apron-slats, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. We claim the binder-rolls c, combined with the apron B or C, as and for the purpose 4specified.

WILLAM POTTER, EBENE. CRANE.

Witnesses:

JOHN E. CRANE, J. S. WHITNEY. 

